Blizzard’s first new president beneath Microsoft’s possession is Johanna Faries, who beforehand served as the final supervisor of Name of Obligation as a part of Activision.
Faries joined Activision in 2018 because the writer’s commissioner for Name of Obligation esports, and later grew to become the final supervisor for the Name of Obligation franchise, a title she’s held for shut to a few years. Previous to working at Activision, Fairies spent over a decade working on the NFL, the place she served first because the NFL’s director of shopper merchandise and licensing, and later as VP of selling technique and fan growth. She briefly served as its VP of membership enterprise growth earlier than becoming a member of Activision.
She replaces Mike Ybarra as Blizzard president, who just lately stepped down amidst mass layoffs at Activision and Blizzard that noticed greater than 1,900 workers lose their jobs. In an electronic mail despatched to all Blizzard workers, Fairies acknowledged the current layoffs, noting that “the lack of gifted teammates in current days is tough to carry side-by-side with the immense pleasure I really feel about becoming a member of Blizzard.”
She additionally acknowledged that Activision, Blizzard, and King are all totally different firms with totally different wants, and that she is strolling into the function of president “with sensitivity to these dynamics.”
“You will need to observe that Name of Obligation’s manner of waking up within the morning to ship for gamers can typically differ from the gorgeous video games in Blizzard’s realm: every with totally different gameplay experiences, communities that encompass them, and requisite fashions of success.”
Faries mentioned she is dedicated to serving to Blizzard thrive “with care and consideration for you and for our video games, every distinctive and particular in their very own proper.”
When Faries begins on February 5, she will not be Blizzard’s first feminine chief. Jen Oneal briefly served as co-leader of Blizzard alongside Ybarra in 2021, following the departure of former president J. Allen Brack within the wake of a gender discrimination lawsuit introduced by the state of California accusing the developer of fostering a sexist work surroundings. Oneal solely served as co-president for 3 months earlier than stepping down from the function, citing unequal pay and expressing an absence of religion in Activision Blizzard management. The lawsuit that initially spurred the management change was just lately settled to the tune of $54 million.
In her electronic mail, Fairies famous she is a “large Diablo 4 fan” and that the enjoyment she finds in taking part in video games and dealing with those that create them “solely deepens.”
“I stay impressed by Blizzard’s iconic legacy, and the transformative function gaming has performed in my life and within the lives of others,” she mentioned. ” I can not wait to get going–to pay attention, to study, to empower, and to collaborate with all of you on our daring and vibrant future collectively. Collectively, might we forge many legendary days forward.”